"Enactment of WRDA is a Victory for Addressing America’s Water Resources Needs in a Fiscally Responsible Manner.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today hailed the enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) (H.R. 1495). The United States Senate voted today by a vote of 79-14 to override President Bush's veto of the WRDA bill. The vote in the Senate follows Tuesday night's vote in the House of Representatives of 361-54. With the Senate and House voting to override the President's veto, the bill now becomes law.

"I am proud to have led the effort in the Senate to ensure enactment of this critically important national infrastructure bill," Senator Inhofe said. "Enactment of WRDA is a victory for addressing America's water resources needs in a fiscally responsible manner. The WRDA bill is not a spending bill; it is an authorizing bill. It simply sets out which projects and programs are allowed to get in line for future funding and sets the maximum amount of money that can be funded. I remain committed to ensuring that spending for the projects authorized in this bill do not exceed the amount we authorized today and vow to lead the opposition to any such attempt.

"I strongly believe authorization is the best tool we have for keeping discipline over the annual appropriations process. Without regularly enacted WRDA bills, the Appropriations Committee faces enormous pressure to use the annual spending bills to authorize and fund projects that haven't gone through a full Congressional review. The authorization committees, such as the Environment and Public Works Committee, should provide the first Congressional review, and that is what we have done with this WRDA bill.

"As the ranking member and former chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for the past five years, I have worked closely with my Senate colleagues to write and shepherd this bill through committee, through the Senate, through conference, and finally, through gaining support to override the President's veto. While final enactment of this bill is long overdue, I am particularly pleased to see such strong, overwhelming bi-partisan support of this important bill."